Walter Surma Tarnopolsky (1 August 193215 September 1993) was a Canadian judge, legal scholar, and pioneer in the development of

human rights law International human rights law (IHRL) is the body of international law designed to promote human rights on social, regional, and domestic levels. As a form of international law, international human rights law are primarily made up of treaties, a ...

and civil liberties in Canada.

Background and education

Walter Surma Tarnopolsky was born on 1 August 1932 in Gronlid, Saskatchewan, to parents of

Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...

descent. He was educated at the

University of Saskatchewan A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...

, receiving his BA in 1953 and his LLB in 1957. After completing his undergraduate education, he attended

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

, receiving his MA in 1955. He subsequently received his LLM from the

London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a public university, public research university located in London, England and a constituent college of the federal University of London. Founded in 1895 by Fabian Society members Sidn ...

Career

Tarnopolsky taught law at several Canadian universities, specializing in the fields of human rights and civil liberties. Between 1959 and 1983, he was a professor of law at the

University of Windsor , mottoeng = Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge , established = , academic_affiliations = CARL, COU, Universities Canada , former_names = Assumption College (1857-1956)Assumption University of Windsor (1956-1963) , type = Public universi ...

Osgoode Hall Law School Osgoode Hall Law School, commonly shortened to Osgoode, is the law school of York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The law school is home to the Law Commission of Ontario, the Journal of Law and Social Policy, and the '' Osgoode Hall L ...

York University York University (french: Université York), also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's fourth-largest university, and it has approximately 55,700 students, 7,0 ...

, and the

University of Ottawa The University of Ottawa (french: Université d'Ottawa), often referred to as uOttawa or U of O, is a bilingual public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on directly to the northeast of Downtown Ottaw ...

. He briefly served as the vice-president (Academic) of York University in 1972 and was the dean of Law at the University of Windsor from 1968 to 1972. From 1977 to 1983, he was a member of the

United Nations Human Rights Committee The United Nations Human Rights Committee is a treaty body composed of 18 experts, established by a 1966 human rights treaty, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The Committee meets for three four-week sessions per ...

, and in 1985, he was appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario. He served on the Court of Appeal until his death on 15 September 1993 in Toronto.

Publications

* ''Discrimination and the Law in Canada'' (1982) * "Freedom of the press" in ''Newspapers and the Law'' (1981) * ''The Canadian Bill of Rights'' (1966, 1975)

References

External links

Walter Surma Tarnopolsky fonds
via Library and Archives Canada 1932 births 1993 deaths Alumni of the London School of Economics Canadian legal scholars Canadian officials of the United Nations Canadian people of Ukrainian descent Judges in Quebec Justices of the Court of Appeal for Ontario United Nations Human Rights Committee members {{Canada-law-bio-stub